There aren’t many moments in my busy life where I’m perfectly happy sitting in one place and watching the world go by in silence. However, when you seat me in a sea kayak and give me a push out into the big blue ocean, my perspective on life seems to change. There’s just something about the rhythm of paddling and the novelty of viewing the coastline from offshore that quiets my mind and heightens my awareness of natural beauty—the sound of the waves, the birds circling lazily above, the light glistening off the palms on shore, school of fish skidding across the water. The moments I’m on the water are often the happiest of my day.

I have to admit that until recently I never really thought of sea kayaking as much of a sport. At first glance, sea kayaking appears easy—a paddle and a boat—a lazy and kind of boring summertime activity. In reality, there’s a lot more to sea kayaking then there may seem. Sea kayaking is most definitely a sport that is not to be missed.

To clarify, sea kayaking is a type of kayaking that is not just limited to oceans; it actually can be done on any water that is somewhat flat (not rivers). A typical sea kayak is quite narrow (about 2 ft across) and long (a single kayak can be up to 13 ft), when compared to river kayaks, which tend to be very short and wider for stability. Sea kayaks come in many shapes, sizes and materials—singles and tandems, open and closed cockpit, plastic, fiberglass and Kevlar.

I was introduced to sea kayaking many years ago on the lake where I grew up in Quebec, Canada. However, my kayaking experience was taken to a new level on an extended kayaking expedition through the canyons of Utah’s infamous Lake Powell and, to another level still, on an 850-mile self-supported kayaking adventure down Mexico’s Baja and the Sea of Cortez. On these trips, my eyes were most definitely opened to the physical challenge of sea kayaking and of the simplicity and beauty of kayaking as a way of travel.

Today, I find myself introducing many people to the art of sea kayaking on Mexico’s Pacific. My family and I have used our fleet of kayaks to explore miles of coastline in this area and one of my passions is sharing the joy of kayaking this coastline with visitors to the Tailwind Jungle Lodge. I love to watch people’s faces while they’re out on the water. I also love their expressions when we land on one of my favorite beaches in the world.

If you’re looking for an upper body workout, an escape from land, or just an excuse to get some sun, sea kayaking is the way to go. I hope if you haven’t given it a try yet, then you will soon! There are a lots of things to learn about kayaking and many safety precautions to take. However, just to get you started here are couple of pointers that I feel are often neglected.

• Paddling in an ocean is very different from paddling in a lake! One of the main things to keep in mind in the ocean are the waves breaking on shore, the swell and the tide.
• Always make note of where you’re launching from (eventually, I’m guessing, you’ll want to return to that spot!).
• Notice which way the wind is blowing; if the wind is behind you then plan on needing at least twice as much time (and energy!) on your return trip.
• How you hold the paddle makes a lot of difference. The paddle has two parts, the shaft (where you hold the paddle) and the blades (which you dip into the water). A nice grip on the paddle has your hands about 2-3ft apart (varies a bit by person). People have a tendency to hold with their hands either too far apart, or too close together. Both of these positions will be very uncomfortable on a longer paddle.
• The lighter the paddle, the easier paddling will be.
• How you maneuver your paddle is also important. A nice, comfortable paddle stroke alternates between having one blade out of the water about 45 degrees and the other blade in the water 45 degrees. (Don’t angle your paddle too much—a 90-degree stroke is a power-stroke that will make you go quickly, but will wear you out immediately!). It’s also important to keep in mind that a paddle stroke is a combination between a pushing and pulling motion. You want to be pushing the blade that is out of the water and pulling the other blade through the water. If you’re doing this properly you’ll feel it more in your core (abs) than in your arms.
• Most paddles have two positions for the blades: feathered and flat. The center of the shaft of the paddle should allow you to adjust the blades. If your blades are flat it means that they are at the same angle to each other. If it’s windy, you may want to feather your blades, which means that one blade is rotated at a 45-degree angle to the other, so that the blade out of the water slices through the wind.
• Makes sure to have drinking water with you out on the boat (you’ll be getting exercise) . Many people forget this and it can ruin the experience.

The lakes and oceans are calling—enjoy!

TAMARA JACOBI is the co-owner, hostess, website-designer, bookings manager, and expedition guide for Tailwind Outdoor, a family-owned eco-lodge and adventure tour company in San Pancho, Mexico. She is a lifelong athlete whose accomplishments include completion of 2 marathons, sea kayaking 850 miles down the Baja's Sea of Cortez, mountain biking 2000 miles of the USA's continental divide trail, mountaineering up Pico de Orizaba's 18,700 feet, and more. She is also a passionate trail runner and practicing yogini... {more »}

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